It isn't every day that an episode of television -- much less an episode of a program as stellar as Star Trek: The Next Generation -- introduces a brand-new character that immediately brings fandom to the edge of its seat, but that's what happened when TNG's fifth season program, "Ensign Ro," brought forward Ro Laren and the Bajoran people. Michelle Forbes played the new addition to the crew, and she was so well-liked by folks on both sides of the screen that she stayed around for several pivotal developments of her character ... but Ro's first appearance was on this date back in 1991.

Why, yes: Science Fiction can be popular enough to even include comedians! That said, Larry Fine (above right) -- as only one part of the Three Stooges -- experienced what he thought was the Final Frontier in a little something called Have Rocket - Will Travel (1959) as part of the popular comedy trio. Though he's no longer with us, Fine was born on this day in 1902.

Screen veteran John Hoyt (pictured above) played Dr. Phillip Boyce in the originally prepared pilot for Star Trek. Unfortunately, "The Cage" was deemed "too cerebral" by NBC executives, and Hoyt's physician was lost in the shuffle. Still, the actor appeared in such other properties as The Twilight Zone, X:The Man With X-Ray Eyes, The Time Travelers, The Outer Limits, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, The Time Tunnel, Planet of the Apes, The Six Million Dollar Man, and Battlestar Galactica. That's no small feat, indeed! Though he's no longer with us, Hoyt was born on this day in 1905.

Actor Donald Pleasance played the President of the United States who finally rose the challenge and took a stand against crime when it mattered most (with a mean machine gun, I might add) in John Carpenter's cult classic Escape from New York. Though he's no longer with us, Pleasance was born on this day in 1919.

Who better to know "The Way To Eden" than Skip Homeier? Actually, the actor appeared twice in the classic Star Trek series -- once in Eden and once in "Patterns of Force" -- as well as putting in time on a number of terrific genre shows. Though he's no longer with us, Homeier was born on this day in 1930.

The lovely Nancy Barrett enjoyed some massive small screen exposure thanks to her work aboard the popular Fantasy Dark Shadows. Barrett was born on this day in 1941. [Source: IMDB.com]

The death of Babylon 5 regular Jeff Conaway -- he played Security Chief Zack Allen -- shocked even those who thought they knew him well; he passed away due to complications from his long battle with addiction, and even his acting peers were unaware that he had been struggling. Mr. Conaway was born on this day back in 1950.

A few years after she wowed audiences by holding her own as Marion Ravenwood opposite Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, the lovely Karen Allen charmed viewers who embraced her as the grief-stricken widow in John Carpenter's Starman. Allen was born on this day in 1951.

Artist and actor Duncan Regehr played the heroic 'Shakaar' in a few episodes aboard Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Regehr was born on this day in 1952. [Source: IMDB.com]

Funnyman Bernie Mac brought a few laughs along for his small role in Michael Bay's Transformers (2007). Though he's no longer with us, Mac was born on this day in 1957.

If Carl Sagan and Bill Cosby got together and had a child, then it might look and behave something like pop astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson (pictured above from his appearance on Stargate: SG-1). Tyson was born on this day in 1958.​

Guy Pearce gave audiences his best 'tough guy' attempt when he took the lead in Lockout. He played an ex-con sent into the orbiting penal colony to rescue the President's daughter. Pearce was born on this day back in 1967.​

The lovely Josie Bissett (above right) joined Scott Bakula for an episode of NBC's popular Quantum Leap. Otherwise, her resume is loaded with more conventional dramas. Bissett was born on this day in 1970.

In case you're looking for someone to blame over the current state of the Transformers franchise, it looks like the writers' room is a committee, on which screenwriter Ehren Kruger served. Kudos, however, as it definitely looks like he's moved along to other projects. Kruger was born on this day in 1972. [Source: IMDB.com]

Critical darling Kate Winslet adds considerable gravitas to the Divergent series of movies, playing a key villain in the dystopian-themed Young Adult SciFi franchise. Winslet was born on this day in 1975.​

Lovely Parminder Nagra played one of the scientists with 'something to hide' in Fox TV's short-lived Alcatraz. Nagra was born on this day in 1975.​

I know, I know: I can be VERY opinionated ... but when it comes to Batman Vs Superman (2016) I really feel that Jesse Eisenberg's version of Lex Luther was just plain awful. I don't fault the actor so much because -- in the end -- it's how the character was conceived for the film that was flawed. Eisenberg was born on this day in 1983.

Noah Segan had a small but important role aboard 2012's time travel yarn Looper. He's since gone on to participate in some interesting genre projects, and it looks like his star might be on-the-rise. Segan was born on this day in 1983.​

The beautiful Cassandra Jean Amell enjoyed a guest spot aboard the SciFi-lite The Middleman back in 2008. Amell was born on this day in 1985. [Source: IMDB.com]​

Back in 2003, a young Bobby Edner took a ride aboard the virtual reality spectacle that was Spy Kids 3: Game Over. Edner was born on this day in 1988. [Source: IMDB.com]

Youngster Wesley Morgan enjoyed some genre screen time aboard Falling Skies, Kick-Ass 2 (2013), and Between. Morgan was born on this day in 1990. [Source: IMDB.com]

On this day in 1993, Alien Intruder starring Billy Dee Williams opened theatrically behind the Sushi Curtain in the great nation state of Japan. It dawned on home video in the U.S. not long thereafter. According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"Space traveling convicts become the victims of their own fantasies when virtual reality is made to go wrong."​

On this day in 2007, The Seeker: The Dark Is Rising found its way into artistic history. The feature starred Alexander Ludwig and Ian McShane, and here's the plot summary as cited on IMDB.com:

"A boy's life is turned upside down when he learns that he is the last of a group of immortal warriors who have dedicated their lives to fighting the forces of the dark."

On this day in 2012, Mars et Avril launched into theatres. This French-language SciFi/Fantasy film starred Jacques Languirand and Caroline Dhavernas, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:

"Based on an acclaimed graphic novel, Mars & Avril is set in Montreal of the future, at the dawn of the first human landing on Mars, and tells the story of a musician who becomes obsessed with his muse."

On this day in 2016 (in Japan), the SciFi/Action feature Robot Wars found new life. The flick starred Ben Naasz and Jennifer Sydney, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:

"In a dystopian near future, a corporate heist goes wrong and the team members struggle to survive a desperate escape through the apocalyptic sprawl with their stolen prize, a weapon of unspeakable power. As they navigate the urban wasteland, they must contend with barbaric gangs, corporate death squads and the terrifying truth about the weapon they have stolen."

If you'd like to know more, then check out SciFiHistory.Net's review of Robot Wars right here!

On this day in 1974, Partridge Family 2200 A.D. aired "The Wax Museum." This served as the fifth episode of its only season, and here's the plot summary from the Partridge Family 2200 A.D. online website:

"Two interplanetary thieves rob Madame Mussaud's Wax Museum of its new Partridge Family figurines, aiming to create a duplicate Partridge Family act and make a fortune on other planets. Orbit switches the planned getaway vehicle (Reuben's stolen rocket), with a kiddie ride rocket, and the thieves' short ride ends in capture."

On this day in 1978, Project U.F.O. aired "Sighting 4016: The Pipeline Incident." This served as the second episode of the program's second season, and here's the plot summary from IMDB.com:

"Capt. Ryan and S Sgt. Fitz hitch a ride on a KC-135 to Alaska to investigate a UFO sighting by three Alaska Air Cargo pilots. Two of the pilots want to cover up the sighting, but radar seems to confirm the third pilot's claims."

On this day in 1988, Doctor Who blasted off with the premiere of its twenty-fifth season, an hour titled "Remembrance of the Daleks: Part 1." According to our friends at IMDB.com, here's the plot summary:

"The Doctor and Ace travel back to nineteen sixty three, and are caught in the middle of a Dalek civil war."​

On this day in 1990, TV audiences gave a roaring hello to Super Force! The program premiered with a two-part opener titled "A Hero's Welcome," and here's the plot summary compliments of TV.com:

"Zachary Stone, former astronaut, joins the Super Force in order to investigate the disappearance of his brother."​

But the premiere of Super Force didn't stop there for right after "A Hero's Welcome" the network aired the next installment, a two-parter called "Too Late The Hero." (Truth is, this two-parter very well may've aired the next week, but all indications I've been able to find on the web to date show it as October 5th, 1990, so I'm including it here for posterity.) Here's the plot summary as provided by the reliable TV.com:

"Zachary Stone, former astronaut, joins the Super Force in order to investigate the disappearance of his brother."